this week

Hi friends,

So, I’ve now had my first week of classes – although I might place out of one and I haven’t yet attended another… oh well. First graduate school assignment? Create an object that appears to be a circle in plan, a square in elevation, and a triangle in another elevation. It took me the remaining 10 minutes of class to figure it out, and the next 1.5-hour lecture to determine how to build it. K you got it? Go.

I’ve been able to get to know a little bit about my studio-mates. there are 12 of us in my studio, and it seems pretty well divided between newbies and the second years. First question to ask? Where is the best place to sleep?

Answer? Across the street in the “presidential suite” of the student union. AWESOME.

In other happenings, I think my keychain has doubled in weight in the past 7 days. I need to find a way to divide it up.. any advice? I have car, home, lake house, apartment, bike lock, studio, studio desk lock, and mail key. I guess I could take the house keys and car keys off.

Also, today, I went to a new church. Last week I went back to Austin Stone – which I know is a solid, great church, but I am not certain it’s for me. Today, however, I went to check out Austin City Life. I went in thinking that I wanted to just check it out, not expecting to like it. On their website, they say, “We’ve been told our downtown gathering ‘feels like Austin.’” And, “On Sundays you'll find an interesting juxtaposition of theological depth and cultural expression. You might say we are ‘theologically conservative and culturally liberal.’”

I think they identify closely with the Acts 29 church movement? Any thoughts on this? I really want your input, so I know I am supported in which church I choose to join.

About City Life – It was so cool! They meet in the Ballet building downtown, and there were fewer than 100 people there today. 3 people introduced themselves to me before the service began – which was really great and refreshing. It seems like they have great community, and are really invested in each other’s lives. They kept saying that they wanted this to be a place to meet God and stressed that ‘church’ to them is the gathering of people and community, not just meeting on Sunday in a building. We talked about generosity today, I heard the gospel, and they made a point to say that the point of today’s talk was not that you don’t give enough and to go give, but that we should seek God so we can begin to understand His great grace and generosity towards us.

Anyway, I really liked it. And although they are not listed on the 9marks site, they did have some of 9marks’ literature on a table. Soo idk. oh and they used to have sunday services in a bar on 6th st - the local college bar hangout aka where Jenna Bush was ticketed for MIP.

oh AND they played Sigur Ros - Staralfur while we were filing out of the auditorium. this is like one of my favorite songs, and this simple act scored major points in my book.

Ok. Gearing up for week 2.

and let me add a picture because this post is lacking visuals.

the painted desert summer 2008.

estate sales.

so, lately, i've been going to lots of estate sales and resale shops. I am trying my hardest not to buy a lot of new stuff for my apartment, and instead am looking for quality used items that I can give a second life to, and maybe save from the garbage heap.

anyway, lately, i've found some pretty awesome things, and I thought I would take the opportunity to share them with you.


First up, this paper towel, wax paper, and foil holder! It is copper and pink, and you mount it on the wall or inside a cupboard for easy access... I did a little internet research and it was manufactured in the early 50's. also, it was made by "Beautyware" so you can't really beat that!

Then, yesterday I scored all of these cameras and a lot of other stuff! (it was a fill up a paper grocery sack with whatever you want for $10). Two of them still have film in them, (35mm and 110), so I'm planning on using up the rest of it, get it developed and if there is anything of import, hopefully I can send the pics back to the family.



THEN, I saw this beauty. Sunbeam stand mixer - with a lamp! It had all of the parts, and the previous owner kept all of the manuals and warranty information.


Once I got home and took a closer look, I found where she had written the day it was purchased on the inside cover: April 21, 1981, from Foley's. Then, I noticed something familiar on the cover of a pie booklet that came with it too:


She bought it from Womack's Minimax: which was my grandpa's (Lounds Samuel Womack sr.) grocery store!! He opened the store before my grandparents were married, and owned it for 30+ years, opening a few others in the area. We have a great picture of him on opening day: he rode an elephant around the store. haha anyway, that was a fun surprise.

sandcastles in the saaanndd

on Thursday, Greg and I went down to G-town (Galveston) for a mini photo shoot. going from my house, to car, to hobby lobby, doesn't make for interesting ground shots, and I needed to replenish my stash.

We stopped by our Galveston house.. It was built in 1905, and had been abandoned for about 20 years when my parents bought it. They spent 3? years restoring it.. I thought I had posted about it before, but I guess not. It miraculously survived Hurricane Ike with only 3 feet of water in the first floor. While my parents were here in Houston, without power, I was in East Asia looking at this house from a satellite image on the city's website. I was able to tell them the house was still there, and the roof was intact. It only took them a couple of weekends to get it ready for the our renters to move back in.

My dad recently built this brick walkway in the backyard... he's so skilled. hah

guess who built that porch on the second floor?? none other than yours truly.

After stopping by the house, we went over to the strand for milkshakes and to look at the cool buildings.. THIS building survived the 1900 Storm, and 8? feet of water with Ike.

Oh Galveston, and your smelly beaches...

and murky water.

we still love you.

fresh start

its time for a new journal! I got my square ruled moleskine last year (started march 16, so almost a full year) and I have very much enjoyed it. I decided I would just stick with what I like and so I got squared moleskine #2 the other day. This, accompanied by my pink march colour-a-month planner just makes me smile.

also, today I decided that 3-4pm is my favorite time of day.. especially in this kind of spring-like weather. I have also found in my various 2-4pm art/architecture history classes that this is the most difficult time of day to stay awake. hope ya'll had a lovely thursday!

oh the exciting life i lead.

So, working in retail for this amount of time has been a very interesting experience. It has also been the longest I've had a job! go me.

Anyway, in the past 3-4 years, I haven't been in Texas for longer than 3 weeks. Now that I've been here for 5 months and talk to hundreds of people a day, I've noticed quite a few things I hadn't noticed before. Here are just a couple:

Besides the obvious Southern drawl and slang found in every-day communications, I've noticed a ton of people call a shopping cart a "Buggy." This is new to me. I've never in my life heard it called a buggy... I thought buggies were old baby strollers... Anyone else encounter/call it this?

The other is the number of people who belong to the Johnson Space Center Credit Union. I see a LOT of credit cards, and I was really surprised to see that JSC far outweighs the other banks and southwest credit cards. I guess this makes sense because I live like 10 minutes away from NASA, but still, NASA employs THAT MANY people?! crazy.

Also, working at the Hob Lob has allowed me to become an avid coin collector. I have only four more of the state quarters to collect, and three of the US Territories. According to my dad the DC and US Territories quarters are pretty collectible because the US mint never announced that they were going to make them and very few were actually made. I have District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and I am on the lookout for American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. I have also found so many wheat-back pennies. Among others I have a 1919 penny (the year my grandma was born), and a 1911 penny!

Due to my recent enjoyment of coin collecting, I decided to pull out this old box I have with my name written in my grandmother's handwriting. It is filled with all kinds of goodies from her travels to Europe and Africa in the 60s, and I pull it out every once in a while to look through all of the little treasures. I had forgotten about all of the stuff in there! Among postcards, slides, really rough toilet paper and old bills from Germany, Italy (Pre-Euro), England and Norway I found some $3 bills from the Republic of Texas and a few $100 Confederate States of America bills. Given they are authentic, in pretty good condition, and earn 2 cents interest every day, they are worth about $500! Thanks Granny! I don't know if they are authentic or not, since most of the bills in that time were hand-written, so I am anxiously awaiting to see if I receive tickets to the Antiques Roadshow in Biloxi, MS. Wish me luck!

long overdue.

It has been far too long since my last post. Though I have a whole list of excuses stored in the back of my mind, there really is none. and I apologize.

I've been pretty busy the last two months. I got a job at Hob Lob #12. I was hired as "Part-time Seasonal" but I've been working 38-46 hour weeks. That will all change on Jan 17, after inventory, when I will go to strictly part-time. Anyway, working has its ups and downs.. Dealing with angry/ridiculous customers = downs, fun co-workers and discounts = ups. Let's just say it continues to be a humbling experience, for which I am grateful. Also, I get TONS of crafting ideas.. I want to do everything. I want to make jewelry, bind my own books, decorate my future house, knit like 436278 scarves, etc. Actually, one of my goals for this year is to take part in a craft show. I think it would be fun! I have realized that one of my passions is making things with my hands.. and why not make pretty things, and then spread the love. Because I certainly don't have the space to keep everything I create.

Anyway, here are some of the projects I've had going on in the last couple of months:

first, it was the pinwheel baby quilt for my cousin's little girl, Leah June. This was really fun because it was my 3rd quilt I made by myself and my first try at triangles! I was grateful that it was made for a baby though. Also fun about making it for a baby girl: ruffle trim!

Little Leah June was born on Dec 17, and yesterday we went to visit and deliver the long over due quilt. I think she likes it. :)

another quilt is for my cousin Taylor:

When I showed her the baby quilt on Thanksgiving, she decided that's what she wanted for Christmas. So, I've been working on it for a while, and hopefully it will be finished tomorrow. Let's hope.

I also made her a cock-eyed owl to match, isn't he fun!?

And, guess what I spent Christmas Eve doing?! Learning to Crochet! My grandma taught me to knit when I was a kid, but I never learned how to crochet.. so I watched a few youtube videos and set out to make a yokoo-esque cowl. I ran out of yarn, so it isn't as big, but I like it! And I've got quite a few compliments on it.. I even told a girl at work that I would make her one too.. I am still waiting on the yarn..

ps. yes, that is a picture of me, nakie, as a baby, sitting in a tub in the background.

Last, is probably one of my favorite, on-going, long-term projects that will take quite some time to complete. And now I will reveal a little of my idea...

I decided a while a go (actually I decided in early July while traveling) that I wanted to do something with all of the pictures I took while exploring the East. I decided that I want to make an illustrated journal/organizer/day planner thing.
I took a lot of pictures of details, and I thought I would turn it all into something lovely that people can carry around.. thus, the idea of taking part in a craft-show.
I am also looking into publishers/printers who use recycled paper and soy-based ink, but I am having a difficult time finding them in Houston. I have two companies I'm looking at now, but I still have a while before I get to that point. I am thinking it will be ready to be used as a 2011 Planner.. So hopefully you will see a finished product in November-December. Let me know if you want one!

here is a sneak-peek:

The illustrating is pretty time-consuming, especially since I am pretty much working full-time and have about a million other projects I'm working on.. (still working on your recipe cards, stephie!) and I have so many more ideas.. and of course, I am still looking for a real job in my field (I have some prospects in the next 3 weeks, chat for me!).



Anyway, I just thought I would update you on my life for a while.. I've been pretty MIA, but I'm working on it.

also, this shot is from about a month ago when it froze and we had a pretty good snow..
Right now we are having a 'Big Freeze' and it should get into the 20's tomorrow.. so lets hope for snow!

ok. back to quilting and drinking beer.

this one

goes out to the one i love.

this is a post to show my collection of b&w fish eyes. i know you are all dying to see them. hah

first up, bday celebrations..

just cause i really like my shoes. :)


bday roses.. thanks stephie!

now off to santa clara..

carolyn's favorite house.


oh the palm trees.. i've been kind of scared of them ever since i heard of people being killed by falling palms :/ makes those 9-story tall palm trees in Berkeley a little scary


and greg and I at the air show weeeee

it was game day.. even though cal is embarrassing me this year, i still have to represent.

all hallows eve

this year, I got to dress up as one in a mighty duo.

none other than wayne campbell.

Greg, my trusted sidekick, was Garth. and we spent the evening sharing many high fives, psych-ing people out, and saluting the numerous babes at the party. I also got to make an acceptance speech.. yes, we won "most original costume" haha

hope your halloween was as exciting!


ps. the b&w pics were taken with my lovely bright orange fish-eye lomo. I had this b&w film sitting around forever and needed to use it up. more lomo's coming shortly.

acl

last week, my uncle told me he could get us last minute tickets to Austin City Limits. So guess where i was on friday?! My poor cousin is really sick, so she wasn't able to go. but some friends and i drove over to austin friday morning for a great afternoon and evening of laying/dancing in the sun.

i got to see phoenix (who, thanks to dons, cafes, XM, and Cadillac, will never ever get out of my head), thievery corporation, andrew bird, and kings of leon. i made you a little mix at the bottom. ;)

i also decided i realllyyy wouldn't mind living in austin for a while.

hey! I had that book

my brother is now a junior in high school. a few days ago, I saw his physics book out on the counter, and exclaimed "Hey, I had that SAME book!" I opened it to find the name of one of my friends a few lines above my brother's.

A few days later, I saw his Lit book on the couch and said, "Hey, I had that same book too!"

we opened it to find that I literally, had the SAME book 7 years ago.

i asked him, "didn't you notice that my name was in there when you signed your name in it??"

to which i got an "iunno" ...typical.

unpacking nightmare

i've been home for about a week and a half, and i still haven't made much progress in the unpacking department. my mom gave me her 'studio' room to unpack in and take all the sweet time i need. so that means i'm moving pretty slowly.

where am i going to put all of this little stuff??

DAH

look what i found.....





yes! vanilla coke has come to east asia!! well.. not to my city yet, but at least its in the same area.

bowling

last week, we went bowling for family time! and our school IDs that MaLaoshi scored for us got us in for ... wait for it... FREE. awesome!

it was all-in-all a great time. and even though i've been bowling for a long time, and have been to more than my share of rock-n-bowls, i still can't get it right. i probably averaged something like a 70.
i will blame it on the fact that the lanes appear to not have been waxed in the last 2 decades, the machine kept ignoring my spares, and we had to switch lanes at some point because the pin-monster kept trying to eat my upright pins.

anyway, you would think that bowling in another country would translate well. and for the most part it does. but then, you go to enter your name into the keyboard and it looks like this: